Any trick to this? My daughter's '98 has a cassette deck that won't hold the cassette in (she wants to use a cassette adapter for her iPod). I think if I can get the radio out, I can probably fix the little microswitch that I assume is the problem, but I'd like get any tips on how to get the face plate off before I dive into it.

1. turn the heater temp knob to full cold and disconnect the heater control cable at the hvac box under the dash above the accelerator pedal. its a tab you bend a little as you pull it off the rod sticking out of the hvac box.

2. slide in the radio removal tools in the pinhole openings at each side of the faceplate and pull it back.

3. disconnect the electrical switch wiring harness (large white plug to the right of the stereo case), then the antenna and 2 plugs on the back of the stereo and you should have the whole ball of radio in your hands.

ford radio removal tools - they're available all over the place for like 5-10 bucks. Picture 2 u shaped pieces of steel wire and you have the idea. tou probably could make do with something else, but for what the tools cost and their easy availability you might as well spurge for them and throw them in your toolbox whan you're done.